The Media and the President
Nice coverage in the Providence Journal on Sunday.
Two articles in the
Providence Journal on Sunday,
August 29. One about my campaign and the other about Mr. Kennedy's. The article
on mine was by and large true and fair. I'm idealistic and inexperienced. The
article about Mr. Kennedy pointed to his accomplishments on fighting depression
both at home and nationally. He also promised to be "a rainmaker" for Rhode Island.
I really can't promise that. If the purpose of elected officials is to bring home
the bacon, then he's much better qualified for the job. So it goes.
Particularly nice in Mr. Kennedy's interview was the moment at the end when he finally acknowledged that he wished he had voted against the war. Thank you very much.
War on Terrorism? Even the President Agrees...
President Bush agrees with me (no, that's not the good news) that we can
not
win a war on terrorism. When asked on the Today show, our most reliable and widely
disseminated source of news, he told Matt Laur, "I don't think you can win it."
Well, of course Matt can't win the war on Terrorism. No one can. Bush's second
comment is equally true, "But I think you can create conditions so that those
who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world." Terrorism
is already unacceptable in parts of the world. I know, I know. He's the fumblemouth
president and nothing he says should be held to any standard of accountability,
but still....
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5866571/
My point to the President:We can't win a war on terrorism.
So, let's undeclare the war, and start working on defeating the terrorists. That's
not weakness, but common sense. By fighting a war against an idea, we show how
weak we are. Bush also sited Japan, in the interview, as a bastion of democracy
that we have helped to create. True enough -- after fighting World War II and
dropping the Atomic Bomb on Japan. I'm not suggesting that we nuke Iraq. But I
don't believe that we as a nation are willing to fight the kind of prolonged campaign
against a faceless enemy that Bush and my opponent have created.
Scooting for the US House of Representatives
At the risk of being taken as lightly as the media has taken Dennis Kucinich, I recently bought a Bajaj scooter. Made in India, this machine looks cool, and gets 95 miles to the gallon. That's right 95 mpg. As I've been touring the state, riding the scooter has been both fun and educational. You see the world differently when you're not in the box of a car. You can see people and landscape, and get a real feel for what the landscape is like.
For instance, I know in my mind that Woonsocket isn't that far, but when you scoot there in just over half an hour -- only 10 more minutes than it might take on the highway -- the reality sinks in.
Yes, it still uses fossil fuels, and I did consider the eGo (made in Rhode Island), but I really needed something that would get me to and from distances further than 15 miles away.
[In the photo: L to R Mark Binder, candidate; Woody and Andrew of Javaspeed Scooters]
A Tired Candidate - All Quiet on the Media Front
No, no one asked me to run for Congress. I didn’t form a focus group, or an exploratory committee. I decided that I’d had enough, and so I put the process in motion.
But you’d think that would be news. An interesting story. A comment on our times that the only person willing to run as a Democrat against Patrick Kennedy was an unknown.
And I got a few mentions on that. A sentence here. An article there.
And then silence.
Evidently, today, the only thing that matters is money. Money money money.
Not entirely true, I suppose. I have neglected the volunteer side of my campaign. I can give a list of excuses -- from too much work to do to too much family to take care of to too much laziness. Many people have said, “You know, you really ought to do XYZ.” But when it comes down to actually doing XY and Z, they leave it to me.
Fine.
Here’s what I’ve done.
I’ve assembled a platform. I’ve developed some ideas. I’ve put forth proposals, and I’ve listened to constituents.
I’ve issued press releases, and been on the radio. My press conference wasn’t the least successful one I’ve ever seen. One radio station, one radio network, one television station, and one newspaper reporter. A few of my supporters. 30 seconds on tv, and a few minutes on the radio. I’m still waiting for the newspaper article to come out. (
Read the text of the speech)
The silence has been deafening. I have a slot on my voice mail for “Mark Binder For Congress.” No one leaves a message. I’ve got an egroup on the web site. No one signed up.
And how could they. They read the papers for their information. The Providence Phoenix said, “You got a mention in Phillipe and Jorge. We might do something about the campaign later.”
This is the supposedly alternative newspaper. The other newspapers -- RI Jewish Herald, Motif (arts) haven’t returned my calls.
I’m tempted to say to heck with it. Enough is enough.
Patrick Kennedy started with $1.5 million in the bank. I didn’t bother to try and beat that.
What I thought I’d do is to present a thoughtful platform -- some conservative ideas (peace and education) and some liberal ideas (eliminate fossil fuels by 2020).
And I have.
If nominated, I will make alliances with the RI Democratic party and work to defeat Rodgers in November. I will raise funds and shake as many hands as it takes. If elected, I will go to Washington and do my homework. I will read legislation before I vote on it. I will listen to my constituents and try to answer their questions and help solve their problems.
But before that can happen, I have a question for you.
Do you think I’d be a better legislator, a better congressman than Patrick Kennedy? I’m not in it for the money, or for the power. I want to help make peace for my children, to improve their chances of growing up in a world that is as wonderful as the one we live in. And that doesn’t mean fighting a war on terror. That means finding alternatives to oil so that we don’t have to give the terrorists reasons to fight us. It means improving education for the poorest in this country. It means revitalizing our cities, and creating new industries to replace the ones that are going oversease.
It also means overhauling our political system. How can we possibly think that the system works when a congress is asked to vote on a budget thousands of pages long that no one (repeat NO ONE) has read?
I don’t have all the answers. I have a conscience and a commitment to improving our world.
Maybe that’s not enough. Maybe I need to lie in my web log and pretend it’s all fine. Maybe I need to suck up to special interest groups and beg for money from the rich and poor alike so that I can promise to give them something in return.
If that’s the case, then don’t vote for me. Vote for my opponent.
If you are going to vote for me, and I hope you will, then I ask you to tell 10 of your friends to vote for me as well. Refer them to the web log or the web site
markbinderforcongress.com. Set up a meeting for me with your organization.
If you’re an independent, go to the polls, cast your ballot and disaffiliate.
Spread the word through email and telephone to vote for Mark Binder on September 14.
InNews Weekly, Jamestown coffee talk
A nice interview yesterday with Joe Siegel from InNews Weekly. Lots of roving political talk. His most interesting question was, "If one of your kids turned out to be gay, how would you feel?"
My answer was, "Fine." Then I went for the Jewish Mother answer, "As long as they're happy..."
I've really been focusing recently on leadership versus politics by focus group. I believe that Politicians who have no opinions but those that will get them elected ought to be disqualified.
In Jamestown the conversation was minimal. I think it was too early and too nice a day. Everyone was there to have coffee and wake up.
Including me.
Responding to John Kerry
I wish John Kerry would stop saying things like he would still go to war knowing what he knows.
I still support him against President Bush.
If elected, I will oppose whoever tries to lead this nation into foolish and wasteful wars.
Radio Talk Shows -- Aaahleeen and The Connection
Yesterday, I made an appearance on the Arlene Violet show with the exquisite guest host Ana Cabrera. It was Ana’s first day as a substitue, so she was a little nervous, but her rapid-fire conversation kept the airwaves lively.
As my first foray into the radio talk show scene, this was a relatively smooth beginning. No faux pas, as far as I could tell. The discussion ranged from the possible insanity of running against Patrick Kennedy -- given the inertia of Rhode Islanders and the glam of the Kennedy name, to the presidential race, to questions from a caller about the proposed Constitutional Ammendment to ban gay marriage (I’m opposed to the ammendment) and laws preventing the desecration of the flag (I believe flags are symbols, and that using those symbols are protected by the First Ammendment). At the end of the call, the man from Portsmouth said that he was a retired military officer, and that he’d vote for me. I hope he tells his friends.
It’s interesting, though -- you never know what someone’s reaction is going to be. During the petition signing I ran into a bunch of people who asked me about gay marriage, and then refused to sign my papers when I told them that I was in favor of anything that made families stronger.
Today, the Connection on WBUR/WRNI was taking on the same issue, and I got a little bit of air time. The point I tried to make is that I wish John Kerry would be a bit less of a politician and more of a leader -- anyone who’s strongly opposed to gay marriage is going to vote for Bush anyway. When I someone asks and I tell them my views, I’ve either gained or lost a vote. It’s that quick and simple -- then you don’t have to repeat yourself in obscure language.
